Kuwait City, Kuwait, May 30, 2022: Abdulaziz Al-Shatti has won more than 100 medals, both international and local, in a long career. The Kuwaiti fencer added the gold medal in the men’s epee individual at the 3rd Gulf Games gold medal to that prized collection on Monday, May 30.
The 31-year-old Al-Shatti was a picture of resolute calm as he out-thought and out-fought Khalifa Al-Zarooni of the United Arab Emirates to win 15-8 and maintain the host country’s stranglehold on fencing in the regional showpiece.
On the opening day of the fencing competition on Sunday, Kuwait won two gold medals in the men's foil individual event, thanks to Ali Abbas, and the men’s sabre individual, where Amaar Al-Ammari dominated.
It was the turn yesterday of probably the most-famous fencer in Kuwait to deliver, and Al-Shatti duly obliged with his trademark performance of staying calm and striking with precision.
“It was not easy. If it was, I would not have had to wait until the third period to complete the bout. But what matters is the victory and I’m more than happy to win this gold medal for Kuwait,” said Al-Shatti.
In 2016, Al-Shatti became the first Kuwaiti fencer in 16 years to qualify for the Olympics and competed at the Rio Games. Although he did not make any waves, just being in Rio was an achievement.
He has won a clutch of medals in everything from the Kuwait League Championship to Gulf Championship and from the Arab Championship to the Asian Championships. But yesterday, in front of his home fans at the Kuwait Olympic Committee headquarters, his roar of victory was loud - the gold meant a lot to him.
Kuwait will go all out on the piste on the final day of the Games on Tuesday, May 31, to add the team titles in the three different categories – foil, epee and sabre. And having bagged all three individual golds, they are red-hot favourites to do so and bring the Games to a stunning climax.
